The invention relates to a door lock of a motor vehicle.
This application claims the priority of 198 43 422.7, filed Sep. 22, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
A door lock of the above-mentioned type for a motor vehicle is disclosed, for example, in German Patent Document DE-OS 25 22 301. A premounted lock subassembly with a lock latch and a detent pawl interacting therewith as well as a central locking system drive is arranged in a hollow space of a vehicle door and is fastened on the rearward frontal area of the vehicle door.
The door lock is connected by means of transmission elements, for example, with an interior securing knob, which is vertically adjustable on the interior side of the door, with an interior door grip and with an electric line of a central locking system. A window pane may be lowered into the hollow space of the vehicle door, into which moisture can penetrate in wet weather. The plug-type connection, which is situated in the hollow space for connecting the electric line with the lock subassembly, should be constructed in a water-tight manner in order to avoid operational disturbances caused by water penetrating into the plug-type connection. The linkage elements or transmission elements of the door lock which lead out of the hollow space by way of passage openings in a wall area and are connected, for example, with an interior door grip, must be sealed off at the passage openings if a transfer of moisture is to be prevented from the hollow space, for example, into the passenger compartment or into a space adjoining the hollow space. This requires increased expenditures if these elements are arranged in an adjustable manner. When the lock subassembly is already mounted, the mounting of the linkage elements or transmission elements is possible only as long as the hollow space is still accessible. Sound or water insulation, for example, made of a foam material, which partially or completely closes off the hollow space can be inserted into the hollow space only after the mounting of the linkage elements or transmission elements, whereby the manufacturing of the vehicle door is made more difficult.
It is an object of the invention to provide a door lock of a motor vehicle which permits a simpler manufacturing of a vehicle door provided with the door lock.
According to the invention, the connection of the transmission elements with the elements of the lock subassembly can take place at any later point in time after the premounted lock subassembly has been inserted into the hollow space of the vehicle door and has been fastened in the rearward area of the vehicle door. This is advantageous when manufacturing the vehicle door provided with the door lock since the transmission elements can be separately premounted, for example, on the interior side of a door covering. In addition, when the door covering is not yet mounted, a sound insulation can be inserted in a simpler manner into the hollow space of the vehicle door and the door covering does not become dirty during the process. If the transmission element is an electric line, which is to be connected by way of a plug-type connection with the lock subassembly, a water-tight construction of the plug-type connection is not required.